Cover lifter



"Feb 22;, 1949. l w. w. GUFFY `El' A1. 2,462,387

COVER LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 31, 1944 Feb. 22, 1949.- wi wfGuFFr-:Y ETAL COVER LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3l, 1944 [afzien/Z075:

Patented Feb. 22, 1949 Covnn LIFTEn Wayne W.

Henry V. Piper, strom, Gary, Ind.

Griffey and John P'. Mihelic, Gary,

Crown Point, and Thor Eng- Applicauon october s1, 1944, serial No. 561,224.

(ci. :s1- 3.46)

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for lifting covers on containers and the like.

The invention has as one object the provision of a tool by use of which pressed or driven-in covers for openings in containers and the like may be easily lifted.

A further object is the construction of such tool which removes covers Without materially deforming the cover or the object such as a, container to which the cover is affixed.

These and further objects of the invention will be more readily apparent during the course of the following description.

In the shipment of many different kinds of materials, whether dry or liquid, there are employed containers provided with pressed or driven-in covers. Such covers are difficult to remove, particularly if they are of the snap lid type, without seriously deforming the cover, the container, or both. Such deformation is undesirable because it renders the cover or the container unfit for reuse. Furthermore, in the case of materials which are explosive per se or which generate explosive fumes, it is obviously dangerous to hammer r pry indiscriminately the container or the cover in removing the latter, both by reason of the jarring of the material and the possibility that a spark may be struck by such procedure.

The tool of the present invention allows the safe, sure lifting of covers of the type described having opstanding rims without any material deformation of the container or cover, and without any jarring of the contents, by providing means for positively clamping a portion of the' upper edge of the cover between an abutment and a movable clamping member and then effecting lifting of the cover in the clamped portion by pivoting it about a point or poi-nts remote from the clamped portion. The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one embodiment of the tool of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the tool shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view partly in vertical section of the tool shown in Figures 1 and 2y in operative relationship to a beaded rim coverv to be lifted;

'Figure 4 is a view partly in vertical section of another embodiment of the tool in operative relationshiplto a iiared rim cover Figure 5 is a view partly in verticalV section of the tool shown in Figures 1 and 2 in the position it assumes immediately after its placement in the cover;

Figure 6 is a similar` view of the tool shown in Figures 1 and 2 after the rim engaging hook has been placed in confronting relationship with the beaded rim on the cover; and

Figure 'I is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the cover partially removed from the can.

The cover lifter of the present invention shown in Figures I, 2, 3, 5, and 6 is particularly adapted for the lifting of covers having beaded upstanding rims, as shown in Figure 3. The cover 2 shown in that figure in position on can l is of the snap lid type, that is, it has an enlarged portion i9 near the bottom thereof, such portion being of slightly greater diameter than the opening in the can, so that when the cover is pressed into such opening, it snaps into place and s retained by the enlarged lower portion of the cover. It is to be understood, however, that the tool is useful in lifting other pressed or driven-in covers, such as thosel having generally conical outer surfaces cooperating with conical surfaces in the opening in the container to effect a seal.

The tool shown in Figures 1 and 2 consists of a base plate 3 of extensive area, which is adapted to rest upon the broad inner upper surface of the cover. In the embodiment illustrated, plate 3 is made of such size and shape that it nts fairly closely within the edges of the broad upper surface of the cover. Attached to the upper surface of plate 3, as by being welded thereto, is an upstanding bifurcated bracket 4. In the tool shown, bracket l, is positioned at the center of plate 3, but it is obvious that it may be located on such plate a considerable distance either way of the center. Supported on bracket 4 for pivotal movement in a plane at right angles to the plate isa lever designated. generally by the reference character 5. Lever 5 is provided. with a downwardly extending bracket 6 having the lower end thereof in the form of a link tting within the ears of bracket 4 and connected thereto by pin The long portion of the lever 5 to the right of pivot pin 1 in Figures 1 and 2 constitutes an operating handle 8, whereas the short end 9 of the lever, to the left of the pivot pin, constitutes the means for supporting and operating clamping member In which is pivoted thereto by pin Il so that it may move freely in the plane of movement of lever 5.

The outer end of clamping member l0 is provided with a. generally downwardly extending end I2 inthe form of a hook, the end of which points back toward upstanding curb member I3, with. which plate 3 is; provided at the elige cone frcnting'hook i2. Curb member vIt stands gen-v erally at right angles to the base plate, and is shaped to conform to a segment of the cover to be lifted. In the tool shown, curb I3 has a cylindrical cur-ve laterally, since the tool is to be used in lifting round covers. The tool is further provided with an inclined ramp I4, which may be made of sheet metal, which extends upwardly from bracket 4 over the top'. of curb I3 to form an overhang or lip I5. Ramp I4 may be welded in place to the base plate and to the cur-b. In order that the tool may be placed onV the cover to be lifted without the exercise of tooy much care to avoid mechanical shock, and in order to minimize the danger of striking sparks when the tool is operated, the bottom surface'y of plate 3 is provided with a gasket I6, which may be made of an elastomer, such` as rubber, synthetic rubber, or the likeor of other electrically insulating mechanical shock absorbing substances such as fiber.

The curb I3 may be made of such height that the bottom surface of lip I rests upon the upper edge of bead I1 of the cover when gasket I6 rests upon the inner surface ofthe cover at a point beneath the curb. However, to allow the tool to function properly in spite of variations in the height of the cover edge, from cover to cover, thev curb is usually made of such height that when lip I5 rests uponV the bead I'I of an average cover there is a small clearance, shown at 2I in Figure 3, between the gasket I6 and the cover at a point beneath the curb.

The tool described is utilized in the following manner. Base plate 3 is placed within the cover as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, so that curb I3 abuts one inner portion of the upstanding edge` of the cover, and the bottom surfaceof lip I5 contacts the upper edge of the cover. In Figures 3,5, and 6 the tool is shownvwithin the cover .in substantially the above described position, curb I3 .being shown, however, for the sake of clarity, spaced slightly from the inner surto a positive clamping action between hook I2, lip I5, and curb I3, the forces exerted by such members being illustrated in Figure 3 by the arrows designated a, b, and c, respectively. Further movement of arm 8 serves to clamp the bead of the cover more tightly, and nally to tend to pivot the entire lifting tool about the heel of base-plate 3. The cover Vis thus lifted pro- 'gressivelyfrom the portion clamped by the tool,

pivoting about a point or points adjacent heel 2u -of the base plate and remote from the point clamped by the tool. Since the clamping of the bead on the cover is done between members whichconform atleast approximately to the face of the upstanding edge of the cover. Arm 8 of lever 5 is held in depressed position, when the tool is being so located on the cover, with the freely pivoted clamping member I0 positioned with hook end I 2 lying upon an intermediate portion of the ramp Ill. After the tool has been positioned relative tothe cover, arm 8 of lever 5 is raised to depress the outer end of arm Sand thus slide hook I2 up the ramp and over the end of lip I5. Movement of arm 8 in the downward direction then brings the pointed end of hook I2 under bead IT of the cover and between it and the upper edge of the upstanding edge of the cover -opening in can I. Figures 5, 6, and 3V of the drawing, taken in that order, show the above describing sequence. of operations. =In Figure 5 theV tool is shown as it appears just after having been placed within the cover. bottom surface of the hook I2 then rests upon ramp I4. Upon raising handle 8 to the position shown in Figure Gthe hook I2 rides overthe lip I5 at the forward end of the ramp I4 and falls freely until the inner surface of hook I2 contacts lip I5. Downward movement of handlers after the hook has so fallen then brings Vit into clamping contact with rim I1 of the cover, Vas indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and as shownA on a larger scale in Figure 3.

As above explained, in the drawings cuxb I3.

As shown,Y theshape Yof the bead and which initially contact such bead, little if' any deformation of the cover occurs at suchrpoint. Since the base plate of the tool is of extensive area, it distributes the forces exerted over substantially the entire cover,

thus preventing bending Places'.

The tool of the present invention may also be employed to lift covers having upstanding vflared rims. In Figure 4, a can 22 having a cover 23 with a ared rim-2li thereon is shown. In this instance, the opening in the container top is provided with a downwardly and inwardly turned rim 25 against which the flared rim 24 of the cover is pressed. The tool for lifting such cover has the same general arrangement as that shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this instance, however, the curb 26 is formed with an upper outwardly curved edge conforming at least approximately to the shape of the upper portion of the flared rim 24 of the cover. Such cur-b is likewise of a shape, laterally, to conform to a segment of the cover to be lifted. A ramp 21 is welded to curb 26 las shown, and has the same function of guiding the hook end of the movable clamping member IU up over the lip of the curb. The upper portion of curb 26 in this instance, however, forms the overhanging lip. Since there is but slight clearance between the top .of the can and the iiared rim of the-cover, when the latter is in-place, the hook-like end 28 on member I0 is formed with a relatively long sharp point for penetration into such space.V Hook member 28, when advanced into clamping position by downward movement ofthe operating handle, positively clamps the upper edge of the flared rim between it and the overhanging lip portion of curb 26. The clamping forces to which the rim is subjected are illustrated by the arrows d and e, in Figure 4. The flared rim cover is lifted after one portion has been clamped, as shown in Figure 4, in the same manner as a bead rim cover; that is, the operating handle is further depressed, the base plate pivots about the heel, the cover pivots aboutY a point or points remote from the portion clamped and the cover is progressively lifted beginning at the position at which it is clamped. As shown in Figure 4, curb 25 may be made of such height as to provide, with an average cover, a clearance 29 between the bottom of the gasket I6 and the inner` top surface of the cover when the upper lip portion of thel curb is in contact with the top'of theflared rim of the cover. Here again', however, such clearance may be eliminated'if the edges of the covers to be lifted are suiiiciently uniform in height so that the gasket will contact the cover and the lip will contact the rim in all cases.

Having thus fully disclosed our improved cover lifter, we desire to claim as new the following: v

of the cover at other 1. A cover lifter comprising a base member of extensive area adapted to fit within the top of a cover of a type having an upstanding rim, the tcp edge of which is outturned, said base member having an abutment projecting upwardly from one edge thereof, said abutment being disposed generally at right angles to the base member and conforming generally to a segment of the edge of the cover to be lifted, said base member extending from said abutment to a point near the diametrically opposite edge of said cover, a lever pivoted intermediate its length to the upper side of the base member for movement in a plane at right angles to the base member, the end of said lever adjacent the abutment carrying a clamping member pivoted thereto for movement in the plane of movement of the lever, the outer end of the clamping member being formed in the shape of a generally downwardly extending pointed hook, said hook being inturned toward and cooperating with the abutment when the latter is positioned adjacent the inner edge of the cover to grip the upper portion of the cover edge between the hook and the abutment.

2. A cover lifter comprising a base member of extensive area adapted to fit Within the top of a cover of a type having an upstanding rim provided with an outturned upper edge, said base member having an abutment on one edge thereof disposed generally at right angles to the base member and conforming generally to a segment of the edge of the cover to be lifted, a lever pivoted intermediate its length to the base member for movement in a plane at right angles to 'the base member, one end of said lever constituting an operating handle and the other end carrying a clamping member freely pivoted thereto for movement in the plane of movement of the lever, the outer end of the clamping member being formed in the shape of a generally downwardly pointed hook inturned toward the abutment, an inclined ramp member attached to the upper portion of the abutment, the hook on the clamping member resting on the ramp when the operating handle of the lever is in a depressed position adjacent the base, said hook being guided up the ramp and over the upper portion of the cover edge, when the abutment is positioned adjacent the inner edge of the cover, upon movement of the handle end of the lever away from the base, said hook cooperating with the abutment to grip such outturned upper edge of the cover between them when the handle of the lever is moved toward the base member. 3. A cover lifter comprising a base member adapted to fit within the top of a cover of a type having an upstanding rim provided with an outturned upper edge, a lever pivoted intermediate its length to the base member for movement in a plane at right angles to the base member, one end of said lever constituting an operating handle and the other end carrying a clamping member freely pivoted thereto for movement in the plane of movement of the lever, the outer end of the clamping member being formed in the shape of a generally downwardly extending pointed hook inturned toward the abutment, said base member having an abutment on one edge thereof, said abutment being disposed generally at right angles to the base member, an inclined ramp member attached to the upper portion of the abutment and having a portion overhanging the outer edge of the abutment to form a lip, the hook on the clamping member resting on the ramp when the operating handle of the lever is in a depressed position adjacent the base, the hook of the clamping member being guided up the ramp and over the lip of the abutment and the upper portion of the cover edge when the abutment is positioned adjacent the inner edge of the cover, upon movement of the handle end of the lever away from the base, said hook cooperating with the abutment to grip the outturned upper edge of the cover between them when the handle of the lever is moved toward the base member.

WAYNE W. GUFFEY. JOHN P. MIHELIC. HENRY V. PIPER. THOR ENGSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATESl PATENTS Number Name Date 658,613 Beronio Sept. 25, 1900 1,175,721 Dexter Mar. 14, 1916 1,211,233 Rhonemus Jan. 2, 1917 D. 126,898 White Apr. 29, 1941 2,248,166 Eilers July 8, 1941 2,339,819 Shafer Jan. 25, 1944 

